Success Story

Hi Everyone,

This is a bit overdue so I must apologise. So whats been happnin?? Well Pop Up Precious opened nearly 2 weeks ago now. And what an  opening it was!! We created an absolutely fantastic exhibition which was opened with an equally fantastic preview night. Amazingly talented jewellers, brilliant music and a fantastic opening speech by Proffessor Dorothy Hogg MBE. The atmosphere was immense if you missed it you more than missed out. Lucky for you though it was only the first and if thats what we can do for our first it is only going to get better!! Anyways you must want to see some photos…..

 

 The 11 Amazing and talented ladies who organised, set up, curated and exhibited at Pop Up Precious.L-R Jess Howarth,Lisa Arnott, Caroline Cloughley, Moira Warren, Jo Garner, Dorothy Hogg, Claire Roche, Jaimie Macdonald, Claire Wright,Nicola Turnbull Jen Cunningham and Helen Chalmers.

As you can see it was a busy evening and what we can conclude from it is that ACJ Edinburgh rocks!!

After the massively successful preview night we have been open for almost 2 weeks now and had so much positive feedback from everyone who has come to see us at Framed on Gayfield Square. Everyone has been full of compliments and love and it really does bring a huge grin to all our faces. All we can really say is a massive thank you to everyone involved and please keep watching us as we have some more very exciting projects in mind and cant wait to get started. Maybe after a short break though, haha.

If you see this and want to get involved or see the show, do come along to Framed in the next couple of days as we are taking down the exhibition on Saturday after closing.

And Remember we Love to Love. ACJ Edinburgh is about promoting Edinburgh jewellers and providing ourselves with opportunities, networks and friends so dont be afraid to get in touch. XO

Its Her Featured Turnbull!!

Next up is the lovely Nicola yes you guessed it Turnbull!

Nicola  creates delicate articulating jewellery from sterling silver. Her intricate  designs  consist of concentric shapes which pivot and move. Newer works incorporate small elements of vibrant colour. Nicola’s pieces are informed by  geometric diagrams found in organic sciences, some of which are based on linear drawings made by a pendulum.

Nicola has also done alot of fantastic work for the Esther Benjamins Trust in Nepal. She went over and set up a workshop and taught jewellery skills to  young women who had been victims of child trafficing and also young deaf women. WHAT A GAL. Nic is as talented as she is charitable so if you want to meet her you best

Opening hours for Framed are 10-6 weekdays and 11-5 Saturday, 11-4 Sunday. Nic wont be there all the time as shes a very busy lady, but one of us will and would happily pass on a message if you were wanting to purchase some of her lovely jewellery or enlist her wealth of knowledge about setting up workshops in Nepal.

See you soon!!Only one week to go till the opening!! Nervous, moi? Not a Chance. Its going to be EPIC!

Featured Chalmer

Next up is Helen Chalmers. Helen is a recent graduate of Duncan Of Jordanstone and as a jeweller and glass artist she creates some truly beautiful work.

Helen involves hot glasswork to reflect the fragile state of neglected urban environments and is particularly inspired by Edinburghs delicate balance between past and present.

 

Helens work is just another fantastic example of both the standard of graduates from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and also of the oh so talented jewellers that we have here in Edinburgh. Edinburgh and Scotland are  flourishing at the moment  with their excellence in jewellery and craft. Our event is going to be well up there on the scale of things so you best all get yourselves along to see it all in person. You will be most impressed I am sure.

Re-used feature!!

Next featured jeweller/designer lovely maker extraordinaire to be featured is Jaimie Macdonald. Jaimie has specialised in reusing materials in her work since 2004 when completing a degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art.

 

The aim for her work is to offer a fresh choice in personal adornment and a chance to see and think about materials and our resources in a new way. She beleives in increasing awareness of sustainability through design and Sees it as a powerful way of shifting behaviour and attitudes.  Jaimies jewellery demonstrates that further beauty and usefulness can emerge from these discarded objects, giving them a way back into the loop.

 

Overall, she tries to take the time to explore the material  until it reveals it’s precious and subtle nature. Despite being a fan of bright colours in her day to day life she enjoys the sense of peace and unclutteredness that using a limited colour palate brings into the designs. Jaimie also loves the tactile quality that her work has, especially the sounds that repetitive elements make when clustered together.

Its an exhibition out there!!

Continuing on the theme of news, take a look at our bad ass posters!!

 

In this marketing marvel that is the humble poster you can see some beautiful jewellery by Jessica Howarth. Want to see more? Oh go on then Im feeling generous.

Jessica recently graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone and now is based in Edinburgh. Jessica’s latest collection is influenced by her travels in India. A celebration of colour and an a sense of playfullness where important elements when Jessica was in the process of making this collection. You can find more images and information on Jessica’s blog : http://jessiccaruth.blogspot.com/

 

 

Jessica has recently set up a studio in Edinburgh and will be working on a new collection that will be completed in time for Christmas.

I think you will agree its some pretty special stuff, so get yourself along to our exhibition. I guarantee you will leave feeling inspired. 

 

 

!!Breaking News!!

I interupt this programme with an important news bulletin…….

So your getting to know the designers and might be wondering what else is happening surely there must be some exciting news. Well there is and I am about to unleash it uppon you, so make sure your sitting down.

Firstly we have Proffessor Dorothy Hogg MBE confirmed to open our event.

Secondly we have Wasabi Disco there on the opening night to keep our ears fizzing and our brains a whir with his culinary musical skills.http://wasabidisco.com/

Thirdly we have been sponsored by the magical people at the Edinburgh Assay Office.check out the badass new website and see if you can find the strategically placed picture of me.http://www.edinburghassayoffice.co.uk/

Fourthly we have been sponsored by Cookson gold, supplier of tools and bullion to many.

Fifthly we have also been sponsored by Edinburghs newest jewellers workshop space and creative learning environment.It is of course Silver Hub Studios. This place is a hub of proffesionalism, design, education and general all round brilliance.www.silverhubstudios.com.

SHS_HIGH_RESOLUTION

 

Lastly but of course not leastly we have also been sponsored by Warren Consultants and the lovely people at Furniture Plus in Inverkeithing. I will be reviewing all of our sponsors individually on the Blog so keep your peepers peeled if you want to learn more about any of these generous and magnificent companies. To you all from ACJ Edinburgh….we frickin love you!!

If any of you people have forgotten dates POP UP PRECIOUS will be on show from the 19th November to the 2nd December 2011. The preview night is Friday the 18th November 6:30 till 9:30. Oh and all this is taking place at the lovely Framed Gallery on Gayfield Street.

Untill next time…..

Make a Feature of it….

Hi there,

Our next fantastic and talented jeweller to take part in the Pop Up Precious exhibition is Claire Roche. Lets take a look through the keyhole….

 

 Claire Roche works under the company name Roche Designs. It  is an artist-run company offering ranges of one-off, hand-crafted jewellery as well as a bespoke design service. She aims to provide you with the ultimate statement piece, unique gift or perfect finishing touch for any special outfit. Please come and view the work in person at one of the events or exhibitions listed on the ‘fairs and galleries’ page.

If you think that sounds fancy check these out, ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……. got carried away a bit there. But arent they lovely. If you want to see more where this came from your just going to have to come along to the exhibition arent you!! or if your impatient like me you can have a sneaky peak on her website http://www.rochedesigns.com/.

Untill next time, its TTFN from me.

 

Feature Me Next

Next on the list of our wonderful  jewellers to exhibit at Pop Up Precious is Caroline Cloughley.

If terror be the food of your inspiration, Read on!

Caroline Cloughley’s designs found their initial inspiration in her dreams. Some years ago Caroline found herself to be a sufferer of lepidophobia, a deep-rooted fear of the seemingly harmlessly exquisite butterfly which manifested itself in nightmares of a rare beauty. Drawing upon this irrational terror of the pretty insect, Caroline began to make work which utilised its form as a motif, but aimed to express the potentially sinister impulses underlying their flitting wings.

      Little Yellow Wings

 Small Black Wing Earrings

Juxtaposing the traditionally overt femininity of butterfly-inspired jewellery with the drama-soaked imagery of Hitchcockian film stills and sinister “little people”, Caroline creates pieces with a rich internal narrative that allude to tales of love and obsession. This collision of extremes of emotion is reflected in a very practical sense in the materials that form each unique work.

Large Brownwing

 Spinning      

Precious metals and gemstones are combined with the utilitarian mundanity of materials such as acetate, paper, and laminate, in a bid to evoke the duality of Caroline’s relationship with these beautiful horrors. The perfectly chosen materials also accumulate physically to form an accurate portrayal of the form and flight of the tiny monsters of her subconscious. What began as a process of catharsis has grown into a distinct collection of jewellery that explores the surreal overlap of beauty and fear.     

     Green and Brown Wing Studs

    Brown Wing Studs

Caroline graduated from Edinburgh college of Art in 2004. She began creating work from home before moving her workshop to WASPS Westpark Place studios where she worked until May 2010. She has now moved into Such and Such, an exciting new studio and gallery space in the Leith Walk area of Edinburgh.

Check out more of Carolines amazing work on her website http://www.carolinecloughley.co.uk/.

Feature Me

 Welcome to our first Featured Maker post. In the run up to the exhibition we will feature each of the wondeful jewellers who are taking part in Pop UP Precious. First  up is the Lovely Claire Wright, check it oot.

‘Squared collection1′ – Square bangle with colour detail, 9-Square brooch, Colourful stripes locket (All Sterling Silver)

ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Claire is an Edinburgh based jewellery designer and mixed media artist, creating work in the heart of Leith at Out of the Blue Drill Hall.
Her silver jewellery is hand crafted using a variety of techniques, such as photo-etching and stone setting, as well as being finished with a colourful, hand-applied Lazertran transfer.  Claire’s inspirations come from travelling, a love of colour, photography, nature, as well as old crumbling houses and quirky streets.
She has recently created a new collection, ‘Squared’, which features silver lockets and small squares of various shapes and sizes inspired by patterned fabrics and their colours. They are elegant yet funky and bring a bit of colour into your life!
Claire trained at Duncan of Jordanstone and gained a First Class Honours degree in Jewellery & Metal Design in 2005.

                                                            ‘Rings’ – Sterling Silver photo-etched and semi-precious stone rings

                                                                   ’Trees earrings’ – Sterling Silver swivel green leaf earrings

See  more of Claires beautiful work on her website  http://www.clairepougetwright.com/jewellery.htm

Keep a close eye out for our next featured jeweller, you wouldnt want to miss anyone, that would just be silly.

Advertise This!!!

Check out our little ad thats going to be in the Next Edition of ArtMag. For a fairly last minute thing I think you will agree that Nic did us proud.

Remember folks if you want to take part in this event please get your registration forms and fees in by the 1st October!! For any more details ask the oracle.If she isnt answering their emails though then try Jo. I imagine the oracle probablygets crap signal anyways. Heres Jo’s email- jomogm@googlemail.com